Graduate Public Health Certificate

Offered in two formats:

1. Online. This 15 hour program requires 4 courses, with the fifth being an elective (chosen between you and your advisor).

2. On-campus. This 15 hour program requires 4 courses, with the fifth being an elective (chosen between you and your advisor). Students admitted to the On-Campus Graduate Certificate in Public Health MUST complete these courses on-campus (through M01 sections).

Upon completion of both the online and on-campus Graduate Certificate, students can apply for the full MPH program. A current (last 5 years) GRE score is required. All certificate courses can then be transferred in (transfer of courses are dependent upon a number of factors including the grade received and when the course was completed).

Program of Study

The proposed certificate program will include 5 courses worth a total of 15-credit hours offered in both an online and on-campus format. The courses included in the certificate program and brief descriptions of the courses are listed below:

MPH 510 – Community and Psychosocial Aspects of Public Health (3.0 Credit Hours): Focuses on the social, behavioral, and educational aspects of diseases prevention and health promotion programs.

MPH 540 – Health Services Systems: Administration and Organization (3.0 Credit Hours): Focuses on using a systems approach to identify and analyze factors and interrelationships that influence the operation of health services organizations. Specific attention will be given to administrative structures and operations, finance and quality among public health departments, hospitals, multi-institutional systems, integrated health systems, and strategic alliances.

An elective course– Students in the certificate program will be required to complete a three credit elective. If applicants do not have any previous statistics background, it is strongly encouraged that their elective consists of MPH 520 Biostatistical Applications in Public Health. For those with a statistics background, the program strongly suggests that the elective consists of one of the 3.0 credit hour-cultural foundation courses (MPH 560-569). Each of these courses highlights specific public health issues. Students may choose to select MPH 500 to serve as the elective course with the approval of their public health advisor. With consultation of their public health advisor, another public health course could be substituted for the courses above.

Elective courses* (all are three credit courses):

MPH 500 Orientation to Public Health

MPH 520 Biostatistical Applications in Public Health

MPH 560 American Indian Health

MPH 561 Health Disparities: Determinants and Interventions

MPH 562 Hispanic Health Issues

MPH 563 Interdisciplinary Seminar

MPH 565 International Health Problems

MPH 566 International Health Practicum

MPH 567 Rural Health Issues

MPH 568 Coping with Loss and Grief: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

MPH 569 US-Mexico Border Health Issues

MPH 579 Research and Resources in Community Health

* Not all courses are offered on a regular basis. Be sure to check with your assigned Public Health advisor.

* Important information about the educational debt, earnings, and the completion rates of students who attend this program can be found on the following Gainful Employment Disclosure.

Application Process and Requirements for Admissions

Incoming students are required to meet the following admission requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institute of higher education with at 3.0 minimum GPA.
• A current Graduate Review Exam (GRE) last 5 years is not required for entry to the certificate program, but is required for application to the MPH program if a student chooses to continue.
• Official transcripts for each university attended to Admissions and to the department.
• Three references with at least one from a former faculty, the others from employers, and/or colleagues.

International students are required to first contact the International Student and Scholar Services office (http://isss.nmsu.edu/) isss@nmsu.edu or 575-646-2834 before proceeding with the application and admissions process.

TOEFL or IELTS score must be submitted and minimum score must be met before an admission decision can be rendered. Requirements can be found here.